三十而立
sān shí ér lì
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1 thirty years old and therefore independent (idiom, from Confucius)
势不两立
shì bù liǎng lì
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1 the two cannot exist together (idiom); irreconcilable differences
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2 incompatible standpoints
又想当婊子又想立牌坊
yòu xiǎng dāng biǎo zi yòu xiǎng lì pái fāng
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1 lit. to lead the life of a whore but still want a monument put up to one's chastity (idiom)
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2 fig. to have bad intentions but still want a good reputation
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3 to want to have one's cake and eat it too
坐立不安
zuò lì bù ān
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1 lit. agitated sitting or standing (idiom)
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2 restless
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3 fidgety
坐立难安
zuò lì nán ān
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1 unable to sit or stand still (out of nervousness etc) (idiom)
夏虫不可以语冰
xià chóng bù kě yǐ yǔ bīng
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1 a summer insect cannot discuss ice (idiom)
大破大立
dà pò dà lì
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1 to destroy the old and establish the new (idiom)
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2 radical transformation
安家立业
ān jiā lì yè
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1 stable household, established profession (idiom); settled and comfortably off
巍然屹立
wēi rán yì lì
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1 to stand tall and rock-solid (idiom)
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2 towering majestically
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3 (of a person) to stand up against sb
巧立名目
qiǎo lì míng mù
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1 to fabricate excuses (idiom)
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2 to concoct various items (e.g. to pad an expense account)
应机立断
yìng jī lì duàn
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1 to act on an opportunity (idiom); to take prompt advantage of a situation
成家立业
chéng jiā lì yè
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1 to get married and start a career (idiom)
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2 to settle down
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3 to establish oneself
放下屠刀,立地成佛
fàng xià tú dāo , lì dì chéng fó
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1 lay down butcher's knife, become a Buddha on the spot (idiom); instant rehabilitation
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2 to repent and be absolved of one's crimes
春生,夏长,秋收,冬藏
chūn shēng , xià zhǎng , qiū shōu , dōng cáng
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1 sow in spring, develop in summer, harvest in autumn, store in winter (idiom)
标新立异
biāo xīn lì yì
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1 to make a show of being original or unconventional (idiom)
树碑立传
shù bēi lì zhuàn
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1 lit. to erect a stele and write a biography (idiom)
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2 to monumentalize
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3 to glorify
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4 to sing the praises of
汉贼不两立
Hàn zéi bù liǎng lì
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1 lit. Shu Han 蜀漢|蜀汉[Shǔ Hàn] and Cao Wei 曹魏[Cáo Wèi] cannot coexist (idiom)
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2 fig. two enemies cannot live under the same sky
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3 (former KMT slogan against CPC) "gentlemen and thieves cannot coexist"
独立自主
dú lì zì zhǔ
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1 independent and autonomous (idiom); self-determination
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2 to act independently
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3 to maintain control over one's own affairs
当机立断
dāng jī lì duàn
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1 to make prompt decisions (idiom)